Microstructure, grain and nanowire growth during selective laser melting of Ag-Cu/diamond composites.

Selective laser melting (SLM) technique is a viable alternative to fabricating metal matrix composites (MMCs) with controllable structures; however, its implementation remains challenging because of the unpredicted defects arising from the reinforcement. This study primarily examined the microstructural evolution and grain growth in the Ag-Cu/diamond composites at the molten pool scale during the SLM process a thermodynamic analysis. The feasibility of manufacturing Ag-Cu/diamond composites was verified using several processing parameters.

Fabrication of Titanium and Copper-Coated Diamond/Copper Composites via Selective Laser Melting.

The poor wettability and weak interfacial bonding of diamond/copper composites are due to the incompatibility between diamond and copper which are inorganic nonmetallic and metallic material, respectively, which limit their further application in next-generation heat management materials. Coating copper and titanium on the diamond particle surface could effectively modify and improve the wettability of the diamond/copper interface via electroless plating and evaporation methods, respectively. Here, these dense and complex composites were successfully three-dimensionally printed via selective laser melting.